(The Center Square) – New officers of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors were sworn in Monday morning. Supervisor Thomas Galvin was voted in as this year’s Chairman, and Kate Brophy-McGee was elected as Vice-President.
“The challenges facing this board are formidable, but I know we can overcome them,” Galvin said Monday morning.
He added that the board has a “proud conservative fiscal record,” citing budgets and tax cuts, and contrasted Maricopa County with “fiscal basket cases” such as Los Angeles County, California, and Cook County, Illinois. I let it happen. He also plans to hire an economic development advocate and create an advisory committee aimed at bringing the National Hockey League back to the region after the Coyotes’ departure.
Debbie Lesko, former Congressman Brophy McGee and former Chandler City Council member Mark Stewart are all joining the board for the first time. Steve Gallardo will return to the governing body as the only Democrat.
Two former Republican commissioners, Clint Hickman and Bill Gates, chose not to seek re-election, and Jack Sellers lost to Stewart in the primary.
“My main goal as a member is to instill a spirit of customer service,” Stewart said.
“In Maricopa County, we envision ourselves treating our services as if we were running a business,” he added, “and we want to drive innovation.”
Gallardo said he is focused on addressing “social and economic challenges” such as affordable housing and homelessness.
Notably, shortly after taking office, Lesko called for a “comprehensive audit of Maricopa County’s entire election system by a reputable firm.”
“Hey, I love being home under the sunny Arizona skies,” Lesko said of leaving Congress last week and avoiding getting caught up in Friday’s House speaker vote debacle. I joked that I was grateful.
There were also changes in positions in other counties.
Former state Rep. Justin Heap will replace fellow Republican Steven Richer, who lost in the primary. The biggest turning point in the Republican Party that led to the change in leadership centered primarily on disagreements within the party over election management. Sheriff Jerry Sheridan will take over from Russ Skinner, who served after Paul Penzone resigned. Sheridan is the first Republican to become president since Joe Arpaio.
